


As Far As the Eye Can See

by shealynn88



Series: Old Before Their Time [3]
Category: Friday Night Lights
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M, First Kiss, S1E19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-11
Updated: 2007-08-11
Packaged: 2020-08-19 07:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20206258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shealynn88/pseuds/shealynn88
Summary: Tyra smacks him on the knee.  "Guess old dreams die hard, huh?"  She gets up and dusts herself off.  "Well, I should get back.  Those dreams aren't gonna just kill themselves, you know."





	As Far As the Eye Can See

"What're you doing way out here? Not plannin' another party without me, are ya?"

She smiles a little, not bothering to look behind her. She can hear his footsteps as he gets closer, knows when he stops just a few steps back. "According to my mom," she says, "I'm lookin' at my future."

"Wow, really?" he deadpans. "How can you stand the excitement?"

She laughs. "I know it, right? I could have a heart attack right here and now, contemplating all my options!"

Billy sits on a rock beside her. "You tell her you wanted out of Dillon?"

Tyra shrugs. "I might have mentioned Texas Tech."

She sees him grimace out of the corner of her eye. "Well, no wonder that got vetoed. Have you seen their football team?"

Tyra can't help smiling. "Oh my God, that's right—those boys aren't even ranked, are they? Well, it all makes perfect sense, now."

He chuckles and they stare out at the emptiness that used to hold the promise of oil. 

"I think my mom just figures…hey, this was good enough for her." Tyra shrugs. "I don't know. It's just, it's not what I want. This small town mentality just makes me crazy."

"Hey, it has it's perks."

She looks at him and raises an eyebrow. This, she's got to hear.

"Beer."

"Yeah, because the _rest_ of the world doesn't have beer." 

"Well, it's not so easy to get as here. Not when you're seventeen. And, hey, small town like this, you never get lost in a crowd. People know you."

"Oh, yeah, that's always great. I love it that people _know_ I'm the town slut just 'cause I'm a Collette. That's a real selling point, thanks for remindin' me." She doesn't let stuff like that bother her anymore, but it's true, and they both know it. Dillon has already decided who and what she is. Dillon will wear her down just by assuming…all she has to do is hang around long enough to let it happen.

"You're the town slut? And here _I_ thought you were the stripper's sister."

"Ha!" She slaps him on the arm, purely on principle. "I'm gonna do you a favor and not tell her you said that."

"Good idea. Save us both a lot of drama."

Tyra laughs. "Ain't that the truth." She turns slightly so she can look at him. "So, what brings you out here, anyway?"

"Oh, I just went up to the driving range for a couple hours. Wastin' some time." His smile fades.

Tyra smacks him on the knee. "Guess old dreams die hard, huh?" She gets up and dusts herself off. "Well, I should get back. Those dreams aren't gonna just kill themselves, you know."

She's scheduled to study at the Taylors. At this point it seems pretty futile, but she doesn't want to let Mrs. Taylor down. Not yet. It's kind of nice to know that there's one person out there who believes she's more than the image she's built. Even if it's not true.

Billy stands with her. "Tyra." His voice is soft and oddly serious. 

"Yeah?" she draws it out in suspicion.

"You know, I've been looking into schools and stuff for Tim. There's a lot out there—loans and grants... You should really check into it. I mean…look, parents don't always know what's best."

Her jaw tightens instinctively and she glares at him. "Don't do that."

"What?"

She steps up and points at him for emphasis. "Don't lump my mom in with 'parents' like you know what this is because _your_ parents left." He takes a step back and she follows. "My mom has worked _so_ hard…you have no idea. No idea what she's _like_ or—"

His expression hardens and he grabs her wrist, taking a step forward. "Hey! Take it easy!"

She stares at him, daring him to do something. Because if he tries to hurt her, she'll make him regret it. She will never be her mother. 

"You need to calm down, girl." He brings her hand down and loosens his grip but he doesn't let go. "I got all the respect in the world for your mom. She stood by you and believe me, in my book, that counts for a lot. But she isn't _you_. That's all I'm sayin'. And it's not a good thing or a bad thing, but…" His voice softens. "You have dreams, Tyra. You're…you have all this _heart_, you know? Don't let this town take that from you." His expression is dark and full of regret and she knows it's him he's talking about, just as much as her.

"Billy…" she starts, not really sure what she's going to say.

His fingers slide against her hand and now he's rubbing his thumb softly against her palm.

"I've never known anyone like you," he whispers.

She smiles, and it's shaky but it holds. "That's not a compliment, you know."

"Yeah." He leans in slightly and his eyes are searching hers like there's some secret there. "Yeah, it is."

And then he's kissing her and it's gentle in a way she never thought Billy could be, and it's terrible in a way that's just right.

Before she knows it he's got his fingers tangled in her hair and she's clutching his arms and breathing him like air. 

He tastes like chew and smells like leather and sweat, and she probably likes it because Tim always smelled like that, but she knows it's Billy and it feels different—sharper and softer and somehow more dangerous.

It doesn't feel like revenge but that's how Tim'll see it. Tim and the rest of Dillon.

"Shit, Billy," she says, stepping back. "This has to be the stupidest idea ever."

He opens his mouth to say something but she shakes her head. "I have to go. I promised—I have to go."

She takes long strides to the truck and when she shuts the door she takes a deep breath. She glances over once as she pulls onto the highway, and he's staring at the ground. 

At least he didn't try to come after her.

She ignores the small part of her that wishes he had.


End file.
